As the holidays descend upon us, it’s a great time to serve up a fabulously paired menu for your spectacular event. There’s enough stress in the season so don’t let deciding on the best food and wine choices be part of it. Here we have provided some simple tips, and gadgets, that will help you to get the most out of your next food and wine experience, during the holiday season and all year long.
So, how do we know what wines to drink with and without food? For most, food wines enhance the flavor of what we eat, but the same wines also tend to be rather harsh on their own. When enjoyed with food, these wines elevate our sensory experience by blooming on our tongues, bringing out a flavor profile that can only exist in combination with a few tasty morsels that prepare your palate.
For starters, you may be asking, what is a food wine? To best explain this, let’s use Chianti as our red example and then Sauvignon Blanc as our white example. Chianti contains a fair amount of tannin. Tannins give structure to a red wine but can give you that dry/cotton mouth feel when not integrated properly into the wine. And for the record, tannins do not give you a headache the next day. Tannins do, on a molecular level, bind to proteins, softening many of the harsh overtones. Therefore after a few bites of your holiday roast that slightly dry Chianti now becomes softer and smoother, allowing more of its flavors to come through.
Where tannins tend to drive the show on the red side, instead acid is the main driver on the white side. An overly acidic Sauvignon Blanc can be tart, with a little bite, overpowering your saliva ducts, leaving your palate feeling almost wet. Much like taking a sip of grapefruit juice. This experience is reversed by having a few bites of your oven roasted turkey, followed by a sip of Sauvignon Blanc. Now the acid is balanced by the richness of meat, readying your palate for the next bite. Test it yourself, whether you have hors d’oeuvres or a full meal, make sure you have savored a few morsels of food before your first sip of wine. This will balance, blend and enhance the flavors.
Knowing how tannic or acidic a certain wine is can help one to choose the types of food to prepare or consume for a truly complementary foodie experience, no matter the occasion. Even with that knowledge it can still be stressful choosing the right wine. If the thought of selecting the ideal wine to pair with your hors d’oeuvres puts you in a pickle, then go to someone who can help. Pensacola has many wonderful wine shops that will offer you pairing recommendations.
As for choosing the best wine to take along to a party, most cocktail parties are quite sparing with their hors d’oeuvres spread, so the focus is less on the few available treats requiring more attention on the ideal drink. For this occasion you will need a wine that is ready for instant gratification. Look for a wine that is balanced, smooth and soft, not too heavy on the alcohol. Especially if dinner is soon afterwards. Perhaps an apéritif is in order? Regardless, your wine should be able to hold its own for a glass or two while one is engrossed in an engaging conversation.
Now that you have selected your wine, how will you serve it? More important than decanters and glassware is temperature. Do not serve warm wine. Period. White wines need to be 46-54 degrees F and reds 60-68F. This standard also applies while you drink your wine. A few degrees too warm and your enjoyable wine quickly turns into something rough, tart, and astringent. If you or your host do not own a wine cooler, you can achieve a similar result by practicing this simple tip: Cool room-temperature reds in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes to achieve the correct temperature. Pro tip: Open your reds prior to placing them in the refrigerator. Your whites should go in a few hours prior, and then be pulled out about 20 minutes before serving, to bring out their complexity and flavor profile. And remember, hold your glass by the stem, not the cup. Always!
Before we can serve anything, however, we have to be able to open the bottle! A screw top should be no problem for most of us, however, composite or natural cork may be challenging. There are several varieties of wine openers available but there are two that will do everything you need, with some practice. The first type is the standard wine key, also known as a waiter’s corkscrew. Sorry, but size matters here! It must be no less than 2.5 inches to have enough turns to capture all of the cork. The second, especially if you are dealing with older wines, is called an “Ah So.” They are relatively easy to use and can be invaluable in removing old or broken corks. Whether you choose one of these or even an electric wine opener, it is strongly recommended to avoid the winged corkscrew, as these are notorious for breaking corks.
With all this talk of wine, let’s not forget about the food. Whether a cozy meal with family, or a party for many, holiday recipes tend to be the star of the show. Foods like fruit cake, gingerbread and macaroons enchant us with their wafting smells and delightful tastes by casting a magical spell and transporting us into a special place we visit only once a year. Great food can elevate the mood, coaxing family and guests to stay than anticipated. Most people tend to gravitate to what they like or are familiar with. So think about foods and recipes that have sentimental value, combined with the addition of something new. If you haven’t done so already, record the recipes to preserve for them for the next generation, while giving each family member their space to write their changes in, so as to truly create a legacy language of food that’s special to your family. Each year, try a new recipe to add to the culture of food in your home, creating special memories that will bring loved ones together, past and present, to remember and honor those not able to be with you. Always remember, food is a love language to be shared with passion and enthusiasm… especially during the holidays.
As we traverse our way through this holiday season, now in full swing, remember to take a moment, close your eyes, and breathe. Embrace the warmth and happiness of the season, well above the stress and anxiety. Celebrate the hustle and bustle in a way that elevates you, focusing on the things that bring you true happiness. Slow down and cherish the moments filled with laughter, good food, great friends and family, good wine, and engaging conversation. After all, this is what memories are made from.
So, whether you have hors d’oeuvres or a full meal, make sure you have savored a few morsels of food before your first sip of wine to balance, blend and enhance its flavors.
Food is a love language to be shared with passion and enthusiasm, especially during the holidays.